Morris Peterson: Un-Sung Hero

Of all the guys on the Hornets starting five, the most maligned would definitely be Morris Peterson. He also plays the fewest minutes of any starter, and is the first to be subbed for in Byron Scott’s rotation. Couple that with the fact that the guy that replaces him is a fan-favorite (Jannero Pargo last season, and James Posey this season), and what you have is a situation where Peterson is often the odd man in the eyes of the fans.

Here’s one thing you won’t hear though… Mo-Pete complaining. I haven’t heard one thing about him being upset about lack of minutes, not enough plays run for him, or the fact that he is often left off the floor come crunch time. He is a player that is comfortable in his role on this team, and has earned the trust of his head coach.

Take a look at his box score from the opening game of the season: 19+ minutes, 6 points on 3-6 shooting, 4 boards, an assist, two steals, and no turnovers. Still that doesn’t seem to be enough for some fans. One of my co-workers is just “not a Mo-Pete fan” and “can’t see what Byron Scott sees in the dude”. I think if you asked Mo-Pete though, he’d be ok with that. He knows his role on this team (defense, and spread the floor by hitting the corner 3, thereby allowing CP and D-West to do their thing), and has performed it very well thusfar in one+ seasons in New Orleans.

There is not alot of flash to his game, and given his limited minutes, he can sometimes be inconsistent. Make no mistake about it though, Peterson had as much to do with last season’s success as anyone, and is a vital part of this team’s run at the O’brien trophy this year.